ILLINOIS
AROUND THE STATE
Pritzker acts upon 269 bills, vetoes 2, signs 'lawsuit inferno' measure
“In a Friday announcement of the status of 269 bills, Gov. J.B. Pritzker has signed legislation which led opponents to call Illinois a “Lawsuit Inferno.” He vetoed two other measures. Senate Bill 328, sponsored by Illinois Senate President Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, expands jurisdiction for claims alleging injury or illness resulting from exposure to toxic substances,” by The Center Square.
Pritzker signs union protection bills amid Trump war on federal unions
“Gov. JB Pritzker on Thursday signed two measures aimed at strengthening union protections in Illinois amid the Trump administration’s stripping of federal workers’ union contracts,” by the Chicago Sun-Times.
DOJ demands sensitive Illinois voter registration data after state responds
“The U.S. Department of Justice is insisting Illinois election officials hand over the state’s entire computerized voter registration database, including sensitive information such as driver’s license and partial Social Security numbers,” by Capitol News Illinois.
Mass transit bailout a sure thing during Springfield fall veto session, key state lawmaker says
“A key player in the Springfield scramble to save mass transit said Friday there will be a fall bailout that uses a mix of tax hikes and a modest fare increase to avert dire service cuts at CTA, Metra and Pace,” by the Chicago Sun-Times.
Lift the Ban Coalition looks to give Illinois voters ability to lift state ban on rent stabilization
“A coalition of community organizations is pushing for legislation to give voters the option to lift Illinois’ ban on rent control and stabilization,” by The Daily Line.
CHICAGO
MORE FROM CITY HALL
Brandon Johnson plans to push out zoning board chair
“In an attempt to assert more control over the city’s boards and commissions, Mayor Brandon Johnson plans to elevate former Ald. Helen Shiller to chair the quasi-judicial Zoning Board of Appeals, but the move is getting pushback,” by Crain’s Chicago Business.
Past his term's midpoint, Mayor Johnson's job approval rating stands at 26%, survey shows
“Well past midterm and a year before his reelection campaign begins in earnest, Mayor Brandon Johnson has a 26% approval rating with a majority of Chicagoans unhappy with his job performance — no matter where they live, what race they are and how much money they earn,” by the Chicago Sun-Times.
CPS board rebuffs budget plan from school district leaders
“The majority of the Chicago Board of Education is demanding the school district’s budget include a controversial $175 million municipal pension payment and a loan to cover costs. Eleven of 21 members sent a letter to interim CEO Macquline King saying these two items need to be in the budget for this school year,” by WBEZ Chicago.
Chicago settles ShotSpotter lawsuit, considers bringing gunshot-detection system back
“The city of Chicago settled a lawsuit Friday that claimed police used the ShotSpotter gunshot-detection system as a pretext for unlawful stops — even as Mayor Brandon Johnson’s administration considers bringing the technology back,” by the Chicago Sun-Times.
In pole position for City Council vacancy, Burnett hopes to outgrow shadow of father whose power put him there
“The mayor has less than two months to make a pick after his vice mayor, Ald. Walter Burnett Jr., resigned in July. Burnett spent 30 years in the City Council and ended that career as one of Johnson’s most crucial allies — a twist from his endorsement of Johnson’s campaign runoff opponent,” by the Chicago Tribune.
FEDERAL
Cozen Currents - The Battle for the Soul of the Democratic Party
The Democratic Party is searching for a path out of the political wilderness after being locked out of power on the federal level in last year’s elections.
The crypto industry notched its first major legislative victory with the passage of a federal regulatory framework for stablecoins. Now, both industry and lawmakers are turning their attention to the more expansive effort to create a regulatory framework for non-stablecoin digital assets.
Read the Cozen Currents here.
Beltway Briefing - In-Conversation with RealClearMarkets Editor John Tamny
RealClearMarkets editor John Tamny joins host Howard Schweitzer to share his counter-conventional thinking on today’s most pressing economic debates. From fiscal policy to the national debt, Tamny challenges widely held assumptions and urges business and political leaders to think differently. Featuring Cozen O’Connor Public Strategies’ CEO Howard Schweitzer and RealClearMarkets’ John Tamny.
Listen to the Beltway Briefing here.